What Lies Have You Told?
by AoiMikans
Summary: Gran Torino looked away from the green-eyed boy, "He couldn't handle that power half-heartedly. Because he was entrusted to it by a late friend." The consequences of that friend's actions ripple across many lives. Manga Spoilers Inside Characters: Toshinori Yagi, Nana Shimura, Gran Torino, All for One, & Shimura Tenko/Shigaraki Tomura
1. Night of Fate

A/N: Based on some ideas that have been swimming in my head lately. This will have more chapters and I will update as soon as can finish them.

 **...**

"Toshinori, the time is now!"

"But I can't just—"

An explosion nearby halted his refusal. Nana's smile tightened to a half-grimace.

"I'm not arguing, my boy," she plucked a hair from her head, "take it now, and go. I can't fight him and protect you at the same time."

"I can fight, Master!"

The earth rumbled. The wall next to Toshinori crashed down, and from the hole Gran Torino shot through the air, whipped his head around, and spotted his two companions.

"There you are! Much anger in that one," he said and gestured with his thumb towards the explosions.

Gran Torino's eyes widened when he saw the hair in Nana's hand and Toshinori's panicked face.

"Nana?"

Her bangs lowered and covered her eyes, "Toshi. Take it."

Toshinori looked at her—his blue eyes which usually blazed with determination were confused.

"Why are you telling me to go? I've been training for this! If I run away now, how can I be a hero? Sure, I'm still quirkless, but I'm strong! I can help!"

"No. Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble. That's what _he_ is. Trouble."

Their world erupted in flames, and they all jumped back. The hair in Nana's hand was released and sucked into the blaze. Nana grabbed her cape and whirled. The force of the sudden shift in air pushed the flames outward and reduced them to embers.

Gran Torino spoke up, "He's almost here. We need to move to a better position."

Toshinori inched forward, ready to join the two heroes. Nana turned to face him once again.

"Take One for All."

Toshinori's jaw set firmly, "After this fight, I will. You said it yourself, this guy is trouble. You should be at full strength."

Nana paused and then smiled softly, "Cheeky kid."

Toshinori's jaw was still set stubbornly as Nana took a step towards him. _Perfect._ The hairs on Gran Torino's neck stood on end and his eyes shifted between the two.

"Nana, what—"

Nana's smile widened but her eyes betrayed her sadness. She put one hand on Toshinori's shoulder and said, "I believe in you, my boy," and in a flash—faster than the boy could react—she decked him right in the jaw.

Toshinori's world spun and grayed. He heard muffled shouts. _Gran Torino._ Unknown to Toshinori, Nana lowered him to the ground and cradled his head in her lap.

Nana ignored her partner, tore off her glove and bit into her thumb. She hovered her hand over Toshinori's face and allowed her blood to drip down into his already bleeding mouth.

"Sorry, my boy. It was now or never."

Gran Torino's eyes flashed, " _Never_? Are you on a suicide mission Nana?!"

Nana's smile did not slip an inch, "I'm being realistic. All for One hasn't moved around like this in ages. He's up to something big, and I can't afford to be backed into a corner without a successor. You know as well as I do that Toshinori cannot handle a fight at this level. He should not be here.

"Take him and go."

"And leave you behind to fight _that_ monster?"

His words were punctuated by a nearby building that groaned and collapsed with a bang.

"Exactly."

Gran Torino opened and closed his mouth. The boy was on the ground semi-conscious, but nonetheless incapacitated. He couldn't go with Nana and leave Toshinori.

Gran Torino yelled and scratched at his hair, "Fine. I'll take the boy. But I'll be back. Don't you dare—"

The words caught in his throat, and he frowned.

Nana swiftly pulled him into a hug and flashed her signature smile, "Take care of him for me."

He forced a smile onto his face and replied, "Don't I always?"

She turned her back, laughed, and disappeared into the smoke and ashes.


	2. Destiny's Force

Their battle was a farce. Nana was right to pass on her quirk. She could almost laugh at the irony.

"I know I can't take it by force. Believe me I've tried. Give it to me. That quirk is _mine_."

She stretched out her arms and gestured to herself, "I think you mean, it's mine."

He didn't know about Toshinori and she would keep it that way.

"I've seen your hero antics. That quirk is wasted on them. You should give up your little game. I've seen this world, and it will change nothing."

That hit a nerve. _No, the world will change._ Toshinori would see to that.

She gave her sworn enemy a wry smile, "And what makes you so certain?"

"Enough!"

The battle resumed. She jumped and launched herself towards the nearest building. The city, evacuated, was free game for the both of them. Using the practiced speed she honed with Gran Torino, she crouched on the side of the building and dove at All for One from behind.

It was a clean hit. But nothing gave. _Hardening._

Nana leapt back and cursed, "Everyone has a limit, All for One, even you."

The man chuckled, "You'll have to come at me with full power then. I wonder. Who will reach their limit first?"

Even now he toyed with her, tested her, as he had with her predecessors. She was another link in the chain of the quirk he unintentionally brought into existence. _Full power._ She was thankful the citizens evacuated.

All for One stood casually. His demeanor a stark contrast to the destruction he wrought only moments before.

Nana scanned her surroundings and began to devise a plan.

"I'm waiting, hero."

 _Fine._

Nana activated One for All and felt its familiar power surge through her. She could tell the transfer was successful. She felt an empty space over her heart, no larger than a coin, a space where her power didn't quite reach. She laughed with relief to somewhat cover her uncertainty, stared at All for One with determination and said, "Try this."

She brought her hands together with a thunderous clap, and sent the man flying backwards. The concussive blast cracked the pavement and shook the surrounding buildings.

All for One stood up and dusted off his clothes. His eyes had a menacing glow to them.

"That's better. Now we're—"

He cut off as two steel bars shot through the air. He deflected one, but the other hit the same spot and pierced through his hardening and his left arm. He couldn't help crying out in pain and surprise. He lifted his right arm and shot out his own projectiles which spiraled towards Nana.

She dodged easily, but one snagged her cape and ripped through the fabric. Still wary of his other hidden abilities, she kept her distance.

She heard a sound behind her that made her blood run cold.

"Mamaaa! Mama it hurts… Where are you?"

Nana's eyes, wide with shock, instinctively turned toward the sounds of the crying child. Her body responded and half-turned before she thought to question it.

"Wrong move, hero."

Nana cried out as her side roared with pain. The same bar that had pierced All for One's arm now pierced her stomach. Still she looked for the child. She saw a distortion in the air a distance away which faded when she looked at it directly.

Nana growled and spat at All for One, "Damned… _illusionist_."

"Come now, hero, you have to admit that was a good one. You reacted admirably. I almost wish you were there to see it. _The night I killed your husband_."

Nana's smile, still on her face despite everything, lost all trace of warmth. Cold fury replaced it. She pushed past her limits, and struck All for One in the chest. She followed up quickly with strikes to the abdomen and a palm thrust that crushed his nose. Cries of children echoed throughout the battlefield, and she launched a roundhouse kick into All for One's side.

The cries still did not cease, and Nana clutched at her head.

"STOP IT."

She no longer registered the pain or the bar in her side. She struck out blindly, and unleashed another shock wave that leveled the surrounding area.

All for One still stood, battered and bruised, but still a massive force to be reckoned with, "There's something more to your reaction. Perhaps some hidden guilt?"

The cries dropped out until one remained.

"A child? Oh, I see. The hero still has family left. How tragic."

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

All for One shifted his stance and lifted both arms in preparation to strike, "I told you. I want my quirk."

They leapt at each other and struck simultaneously.

Quite a distance away, the ground trembled, and people shrugged it off as another earthquake and went about their day. A few broken plates and fallen pens were nothing.

...

Gran Torino left the boy with a friend, and swiftly made his way back to the city. Hints of dawn lit up the sky, but he still couldn't see the familiar skyline. He picked up the pace, and knew he the city had to be near.

In his rush, Gran Torino slipped on some gravel and landed on his rear. He cursed to himself, but used that time to survey his surroundings. He wasn't some fool who'd get lost so easily, so what was going...

"Oh no."

He had already arrived.

The city was laid to waste—nothing left but a massive crater and debris.

Gran Torino was dumbfounded. A piece of cloth wrapped around the remains of an iron fence flapped in the breeze. He knew that material. He used his quirk to quickly head to the epicenter. He looked up and around and his jaw dropped. He hadn't noticed it before, but the clouds formed a ring around the wasteland. The sky above the former city was perfectly clear, and the amber light of dawn shone on the mess.

The earth smelled of iron here. The dirt stained with… Something else.

 _No._

Everything.

Reduced to dust.

He searched the surrounding areas for days. No witnesses. The boy was probably worried sick. Hell, _he_ was worried sick. He clung to the scrap of cloth for dear life. She was just resting somewhere. It was an intense battle. It leveled the whole city. _Yeah, she's resting, waiting for him to come back._

The world answered him with silence.

* * *

 **A/N: I... I think I need to rest after writing this chapter.**


	3. Working Together

**A chapter to soothe the heart. It's alright. Why?**

 **All Might was young once too.**

 **...**

Toshinori stared at his open palm. He wasn't sure what to do next. He knew what he wanted to do, but that would likely separate him from Gran Torino. Anyone else his age would have already sent out applications, but it had slipped his mind. Time progressed oddly.

Physically he'd never felt better. It was as if One for All had always belonged to him, though his mastery of it was subpar at best. It just felt right. A feeling rather than a thought.

 _I believe in you, my boy._

Toshinori closed his fist and left the apartment. He jogged around the neighborhood a few times to clear his head. He smiled when he heard the snow crunch underfoot. Now that winter had come the crunchy leaves were all soggy, but the fresh snow made up for that. He let out a little laugh as he found new patches of snow to step on.

He grinned, "Who says you can't have fun with training?"

He moved on to the local park and used the layout as an obstacle course. His breath frosted the air around his eyes and he looked towards the sky. The sun began to set. Had he been out here that long? He hurried back to the apartment to find Gran Torino, who bustled about with a half-eaten taiyaki in his mouth.

Toshinori slid off his shoes and went up to him, "Going somewhere?"

Gran Torino choked and gave him a dry look, "You reek kid."

Toshinori's face reddened at that, "Well I have been outside training, you know."

The hero looked him up and down and nodded, "Get something to eat, wash up, and pack your bags. I've made some arrangements."

"Arrangements for what?"

"Your future, kid. Surely you haven't forgotten your ambition already. "

Toshinori stood tall, "Wouldn't be training if I had."

"Good. Now move, move, move, you're ruining my appetite."

Gran Torino pushed him towards the kitchen and left him alone, but called out from the other room, "Make it snappy, Toshi. If we miss the last train, I'm making you walk."

Toshinori called back, "Walk where? Can't you at least give me a hint?"

"We're going to school."

" _We?!_ "


	4. Hand in Hand

**Time passes. Heroes rise. Enter. Shimura Tenko.**

 **...**

Years. It took All for One years to find that child, and what was the child now? He grew up to be a washed up salaryman with a failed marriage and a young son. All for One chuckled to himself. To be fair, he _had_ taken away both of Shimura's parents. Meanwhile, the hero scene was dominated by a man who came out of nowhere.

 _All Might._

There was no resemblance at all between him and Nana—other than that insufferable smile. The age was impossible to tell, but surely he was not her son. So he dismissed him as another upstart hero and continued his search. As All Might's popularity and strength grew so did the doubts in All for One's mind. He would keep an eye on that hero.

When All for One finally stumbled upon Nana's son, the sheer disappointment made him want to kill the man right then and there. But it was a public place. Shimura's son was also there and held his father's hand. His initial anger dissipated.

Curiosity piqued, All for One took a step back and continued to watch.

Shimura's son spoke up, "Father, when's mother coming back?"

Shimura stiffened, and a dark look crossed his face. However, he remained silent.

The child shook his father's arm and whined, "Hey, when's mother coming back?"

Shimura ripped his arm away from his son, lifted his hand, and the boy flinched and cowered back. Shimura looked around and frowned. Shoppers passed them by without acknowledgement. They had places to be, and a boy and his father hardly attracted anyone's eye at first glance. Shimura obviously wished for it to remain that way.

"Be quiet, Tenko. We're going home."

The boy, Tenko, gripped the edge of his shirt as tears welled in his eyes and followed in his father's shadow. All for One grinned. Now he had a _real_ reason to kill the man. All for One placed his hands in his pockets, turned away, and began to hum.

 _Another wrong move hero, sending your own son away. How about I show you how to raise a child?_


	5. Enter the Darkness

**Chapter Summary: The puzzle pieces begin to fall in line.**

 **...**

All for One had to set his plan for the boy aside. All Might was on the move. Reports from his subordinates arrived like wildfire. All Might attacked stronghold after stronghold. The hero fought and captured " _villains_ in the name of _peace_."

All for One's eyes blazed with hatred. Years of hard work went up in flames. Subordinate after subordinate, taken. The world raved about their new _hero._ All Might's smile plastered every television, poster board, and shop window. His name was on the lips of everyone coherent enough to hear the news. Success after success only highlighted All for One's new failings. _Were his subordinates really that weak?_ Some, yes, but All Might overpowered them all regardless of power level or quirk.

The public had a true hero to rally behind. Fear of the underworld and crime diminished. The world _changed_.

All for One's lips curled downward. His shoulders shook as his mind flashed back to that wretched woman. She tried and failed to change the world, her vision too wide for her limited capabilities. But now this upstart with strength to rival his own made the world change where she had failed.

 _Where was the link? Had they met?_

His office door slammed open, "Boss! He attacked the southern branch!"

He met the man's alarmed eyes with silence. _And?_

His subordinate began to sweat and shifted on his feet, "Shukuya was the only one to make it out, you know, with his shrinking quirk."

"So he fled. Does Shukuya have anything to report?"

The air in the office appeared to grow thinner for his subordinate. His face paled, and his heart raced. All for One had done nothing, but the fear in the man's eyes was real.

"Yes, sir, he uh-," the man swallowed.

"All Might, sir, he appears to be looking for _All for One."_

 _There it was. The CONNECTION._

All for One roared with laughter and placed his hands on his desk. When he stood up, the man at the door shrunk back. The name. Of course. How simple. His shoulders shook with his suppressed mirth, and he felt his palms heat up. Only a few referred to him as such.

The desk under his palms collapsed in a plume of dust. He dismissed his poor subordinate with a wave of his hand, and looked at the pictures that fluttered to the ground.

All Might. Shimura. Tenko.

They were connected after all.

 _Nana._

"Let the games begin."


	6. Dark Impetus

**Chapter Summary: Pain.**

 **A/N: This chapter... isn't for the weak of heart.**

 **...**

Shimura paced with his phone in hand, "Look, I'm getting paid this week. I'll have the money for you then. Yes. Yes. I know, but I can't give you what I don't have. Leave my son out of this. I took responsibility for her debt, so I will pay it, just give me time."

The shadows in Shimura's home closed in on him. Friday. He had one more day. Debt was a monster that threatened to choke the life out of him, a monster no hero could save him from.

Something brushed against his hand and he started and struck out without a thought. He heard a thump and a small cry, and the shadows retreated.

"Tenko!"

When Shimura looked at his son he saw a small cut on the boy's lip, "Oh Tenko, I'm so sorry."

Tenko refused to let the tears flow. He brushed the boy's hair away from his eyes and cupped his face in his hands.

"Let me see. Let me see."

Shimura picked up his son and set him on the kitchen counter. Tenko's face was red with suppressed emotion, and a small trail of blood dripped down from the cut. Shimura dabbed at his face with a wet cloth and whispered apologies. He continued to hold his son's face and gently brush aside his hair.

"Tenko, please say something. Father is sorry."

Tenko looked down at his own hands and took a deep breath. His nails had dug indentations into his arms, and he flinched when he released his grip. Shimura saw Tenko's arms and wanted to cry himself.

Tenko mumbled something, "…sneak… you."

"What?"

"Sneaking up on you. I'm sorry father."

Tenko lowered himself from the countertop and wrapped his arms around his father's leg. He pressed his face into his father's thigh and said, "I won't ask about mother again, I'm s-sorry."

Shimura's mind flashed back to their recent shopping trip, and his gut tightened. He had raised his hand against his son. Not once, but twice now. Tenko had obviously overheard the conversation on the phone. Shimura picked up his son and held him close to his chest.

"Tenko. Sometimes people just leave and never come back. Even—even mothers. I'm here. I'm here. Please don't be sorry. I shouldn't have scared you like that. Or hit you."

Shimura wished he could turn back the clock, but time marched on. He rubbed the back of Tenko's head until both of their heart rates settled. The old apartment grew silent, and Tenko relaxed in his father's arms. Shimura carried Tenko to his room and started to get him ready for bed. As he pulled his nightshirt over his son's arms, Tenko sniffled.

"Tenko?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, my mother disappeared too."

"Hm."

Shimura tucked Tenko under his sheets and continued, "I can't even remember what she looked like. But I remember her smile."

"Mother didn't smile much."

Shimura let out a pained laugh, "No. No she didn't."

"Can you smile for me, Tenko? Like this," Shimura pushed his index fingers into his face and forced a smile.

Tenko gave him a funny look, but then gave a wide, open-mouthed smile that crinkled his eyes.

Shimura covered his mouth and snorted in amusement, "We'll have to work on that, but thank you. I promise. Things will be different after tomorrow."

Tenko just nodded and took his father's hand and placed it on his head. Shimura smiled and gently smoothed Tenko's hair until he fell asleep.

"Goodnight Tenko."

Tenko woke to the taste of blood in his mouth. His lip stung. He sat up and rubbed his eyes and started when he saw a shadow in his doorway.

"Father?"

The shadow stepped forward, "Sorry Tenko, I didn't mean to wake you. I brought a glass of water for you in case you got thirsty during the night."

Tenko's eyes drooped as the glass was set on his nightstand. He took a couple of sips and promptly fell back asleep.

Shimura blinked and looked around. He heard voices and footsteps in the hall. He quickly checked in on Tenko, but the boy was asleep. He was about to turn away when the light that filtered from the window shades reflected on something on Tenko's nightstand. Shimura sighed. Tenko had gotten up to get a drink.

To be safe he checked the rest of the apartment, but nothing appeared out of order. Shimura ran his hands through his hair and glanced at the clock. 04:00. Five more hours until he gets paid, six until the final payment.

Shimura settled back into bed with ease, and closed his eyes.

 _We're almost there._

Tenko screamed.

Shimura shot out of bed and the red glow of his alarm clock told him it was 06:44.

"Father, help!"

Shimura ran to his son's room and stood back bewildered.

"It itches!"

Tenko scratched at his face and neck. He was on the floor covered with dust, and his bed was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh my goodness! What happened?"

Shimura grabbed Tenko under his arms and took him to get rinsed off. Tenko coughed and dust flew from his shoulders.

"I-I don't know! I was sleeping and then I fell on this stuff!"

"Hold on, I'm going to wash this off. Close your eyes."

Tenko did as he was told, and Shimura's mind wandered to what he just saw. His son's bedroom was covered in dust. _Why?_

Tenko spluttered as water shot up his nose, "Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry. Won't happen again."

He dried Tenko off and brought in clean clothes, "Arms up!"

Tenko lifted his arms and Shimura tugged the over-sized shirt down so that it draped Tenko loosely.

"There we go. Still itchy?"

"Nope!"

"Great," Shimura opened his arms wide, "Since we're up, I'll make some breakfast."

Tenko, excited, jumped up and latched onto his father's torso. Shimura got up and began to walk to the kitchen.

Shimura's back smarted. Had he bumped into something? He shrugged and pain lanced up his spine.

"AH! What the-?"

Shimura dropped to one knee and struggled to get back up. He held Tenko tighter, and dots spun in his eyes.

"Father?"

Shimura couldn't feel his limbs.

"FATHER?"

"Ten—," blood poured from his mouth and his grip on his son loosened.

Tenko backed away in shock. Tenko slipped, fell backwards, and placed his hand on the wall to steady himself. He heard sharp cracks and ripped his gaze from his father to the wall at his hand. It grayed and crumbled, and he snatched his hand away.

"I—I? I d-did this?"

Tenko looked back towards his father and screamed.

07:00.

 **...**

 **A/N: BLAME MANGA CHAPTER 69 PG 15 FOR THIS MONSTROSITY!**


	7. My Heart's Descent

Summary: Enter Shigaraki Tomura. Warnings: Blood and implied character death.

...

Tenko's scream echoed through the quiet apartment.

He covered his eyes with his hands and shrieked even louder. Blood poured down his face as his own touch betrayed him. The skin of his forehead burned, and the air around him stung like ice. His entire world was dyed red. Blood ran down his neck and arms and dripped off his fingertips.

Tenko wobbled and collapsed. His eyes lost focus and he passed out.

Tenko woke with a start as he heard someone bang at the front door.

"SHIMURA! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! YOU'RE LATE!"

The boy's heart pounded. Everything ached, but he scrambled up in panic. He heard a crack and the sound of splintered wood, and he fled into his room. He held his breath as heavy footfalls invaded his home. Absentmindedly he noted that the intruders hadn't removed their shoes.

Tenko's eyes shut as the voices got closer. He longed to cover his ears, but he learned from his last mistake.

"Shimura, Yokusai isn't happy, but as long as he gets the money you're in the cl—WHAT THE HELL!"

"What is it? HOLY—What happened?! It's a damned massacre scene in here."

Shoulders tense, Tenko backed away from his door and headed towards his bed, he would climb out of the window and then get he-! He slipped on ash and dust and cried out in surprise.

"Someone's back there!"

"What?!"

Tenko paled. His door was shoved open, and he had nowhere to run.

The man in the doorway called out to his partner, "It's Shimura's brat," and he turned to face Tenko.

His voice was almost gentle, "Hey kid, what happened here? Are you hurt?"

Tenko felt himself drawn to the man. His fear melted away, and he tried to speak, "I-I—"

The other man interrupted him, "Watch out Kandou, we don't know if the kid has a quirk."

Kandou shot his partner an irritated look, and the spell was broken. Tenko blinked and shook his head. He looked back and forth between the two men in his room, but his legs remained rooted to the spot. They were here for his father.

His father?

Memories flooded his mind. The bed. The dust. The BLOOD.

"KANDOU SHUT HIM UP! HE'LL WAKE THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD!"

Tenko scratched at his arms and screamed. He screamed and screamed until his throat was raw. Kandou tried to speak over him, but Tenko didn't even register his presence.

"FINE I'LL DO IT!"

The second man snatched Tenko by the front of his shirt and yelled at him to shut him up. Tenko's eyes widened and he instinctively grabbed at the arm that held him. Soon it was the man who screamed. His arm was gone in seconds. Tenko dropped to the floor and rocked back and forth.

"Fault. My. Fault. My. Fault…"

Kandou looked at the boy on the floor and his partner who cursed and pressed at the stub that was once his arm.

He whistled, "Now that's a quirk. I'm taking him to Yokusai."

His partner grit his teeth, "No way. I'm gonna _kill_ that brat."

Tenko's head snapped up at that, "Kill?"

The temperature in the room dropped. The two grown men couldn't help the shudder that crept up their spines. The boy's attention was fixated on his hands.

A smile spread on the child's cracked lips and he laughed, "Heroes come after killers, right?"

"Hey. They'll come, right?"

They did not come.

Tenko carefully buttoned up a new shirt by himself. Father wouldn't like the mess. He carefully washed his face and approached the entryway. He ignored his shoes, turned slightly, and called out, "I'll be back father."

He took a couple of steps outside of his home and the horror of what he'd seen—what he'd _done_ sunk in. A weight pressed down on the boy, and he staggered.

"Hel…p me… Somebody…"

With each step he repeated this phrase over and over until he was no longer certain if he spoke aloud. People whispered and passed him by. Concern tinted their speech, but none made a move to approach. They went about their daily lives, and Tenko remained. Horrified.

He collapsed at some point. Had he been crying? His stomach growled. How long? Tenko barely registered the pair of feet that stopped in front of him.

"So nobody came to save you, huh, little one…?"

Tenko ignored the voice.

"It must have been so hard for you… Shimura Tenko."

His hands twitched.

The voice continued, " _'Just wait, a hero will come to his rescue,'_ they say, and so assured, everyone makes as though they don't even see you there."

Even now not a single person directed their eyes toward the troubled boy.

"Who is it that made society this warped, I wonder?"

Disdain made him sneer as he glanced at All Might's image plastered throughout the area. But he smiled softly and stretched out his hand and offered it to the boy.

"It's not your fault little one."

Tenko looked up then and stared at the man incredulously, at his outstretched hand even more so. His gaze was almost _hungry._ A helping hand, the warmth of another person, mere days and they were so easily forgotten.

"It hurts," he said while he gripped at his chest, careful to leave one finger held out.

His hands shook.

"What is this? It hurts so much."

The boy's brow, mostly hidden by hair nearly bleached white, carried wounds that would likely scar him for the rest of his life. _His_ quirk was likely to blame. All for One retracted his outstretched hand and knelt by the boy. The man scribbled two characters on the ground. The first was simple, one that reminded him of his younger brother if only because of its shape. He did not dwell on the meaning himself.

" _Tomurau._ To mourn."

The boy looked down at the word with an understanding that surpassed his age, "Tomura… That's me."

"Tomura. Father—hrk!"

The boy bent forward and retched, but nothing came up. His eyes lit up with rage fueled by the unfairness of the world, and he slapped his hand on the character written on the ground. The area under his hand grayed and crumbled at his touch. The character, long gone, imprinted itself on the boy's mind.

He grabbed the dust and glared at his hand.

"Are you really going to help me, _Sensei?"_

 _Sensei?_ He liked the sound of that.

All for One placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and looked towards the future. He saw a future with All Might on his knees, face full of regret and despair.

"Let's help each other."

 **...**

 **弔う: Tomura.u: to mourn**

 **弟: Otouto: younger brother**

 **死柄木弔: Shigaraki Tomura**


End file.
